Interchangeable hub.



I V PATENTED MAY 19 c. DAVIS. v INTERGHANGEABLE 'HUB. APPLIOLTiOR FILEDAUG. 2, 1802.

Wane/sub Patented May 19, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN O.l) AV IS, OF ELYRIA, 01110.

lNTERC-H-ANGEABLE HUB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 728,376, dated May 19,-1 903. Application filed August 2,1992. Serial No. 118,115. (No 'modelJTo a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN C.'DAVIS, a citizen of the United'States,residing at Elyria, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Interchangeable Hub, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hubs adapted to fit axles ofdifferent sizes in which taper bushings or collets slotted from bothends are employed with other hub members, all as hereinafter fullydescribed and especially claimed; and the object of my improvement is toprovide practical, efficient, durable, and inexpensive means forsecurely fastening a ball-bearing hub to an ordinary axle, such meansrendering the sameiub adaptable to vari m ssizesgf axles a ndtoaxleswhich have become worn from use, so that difference in sizelias tobemet.

Another object of my invention is to do away with set-nuts fortheball-cones.

Ordinary axles vary in diameter and sometimes taper a little. Hence ithas heretofore been difiicult to construct a hub of one size which wasapplicable to any but the corresponding size of axle. This difficulty Iovercome by introducing resilient collets of peculiar construction intothe device to produce in reality a self-adjusting hub. If the axle is ofmuch larger diameter at one end of its hub-carrying part than at theother,.as is usually the case, the two colletsused may differ from eachother somewhat in shape and size, but materially they are substantiallyalike. Although a single collet for each hub might be em ployed in someinstances, such an arrangement' would not be as effective as one inwhich two are used.

, I attain the above-mentioned objects by the means illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectionthrough a rubber-tired-wheel hub and end of an axle, showing aconstruction embodying my invention; Fig. 2, aview of the thick end ofthe bushing or collet; Fig. 3, a side view of said collet; Fig. 4, aview of the opposite end of the same; Fig. 5, a sectional view of partsof a hub and axle, showing a slightly'modified form of construction.

Similarletters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

That partof the axle a which is shownnamely', the -hub-bearingis ofordinary construction, with an enlargementa at the inner end and ascrew-threaded projectiona at the outer end of less diameter than themajor portion of said bearing part. A sleeve 1), of the same generaldiameter throughout" except that its inner end is tapered at b on theinside, fits loosely over the axle a, considerable clearance being leftbetween said sleeve and even the axle enlargement a. 'The ends of thesleeve 1) are externally screw-threaded to receive ball-cones c, whichhold the balls din the cups 6, the latter being pressed tightly intoenlarged parts of a shell f. The shell f, which is the outside member ofthe hub, is of usual form and hasinternally-screw-threaded ends toreceive dust-caps g and h. dis a felt dust-protector inside of the capg.

With the exception of the sleeve b the parts just described are old, andI do not seek to claim them except in combination with the new featuresof my device.

The slotted and tapered resilient bushing or collet used; at each end torigidly attach the hub to the axle will next be described. As beforestated, two aroused, by preference; but it is to be understood that nomaterial difference exists between them-and that they may be variouslymodified to meet other conditions besides thoseshown. These collets maybe taperedor not inside,'as desired, but are always taperedcons'iderablyon the outside. Any inside taper would bevery slight,unless the collets were to be usedwith other than an ordinary axle. Thenormal inside diameters of the collets correspond with those of themedium sizes of the parts to which they are to be applied, and theirpeculiar construction enables them to expand for the larger sizes and tocontract for the smaller sizes.

The colle'tsjj, one-of which encircles the enlargement a, and the otherthe smaller end of the axle a, are externally tapered'and slotted at It.The slotsk are cut deeply into the collet alternatelyfromoppositeedgesorends,and the inner terminals of adjacent slots extendwell sharp edge at the small end, as shown, or one or both may have theedge of the small end somewhat thickened or widened. Aninternally-tapered collar Z is introduced between the collet on thesmall terminal of the axle and the sleeve 1) to compensate for thedifference in diameter between said end and the enlargement a; otherwisesaid collet would need to be too thick for practical purposes. The outertapered surface of the left-hand colletj is contiguous with the taperedpart b of the sleeve 1), and the large end of said collet bears againstthe axle-shoulder 0/. The outer tapered surface of the smaller collet iscontiguous with the tapered surface of the collar Z. The thin or sharpedges of both collets are directed toward each other, and the large endof the right-hand collet projects beyond the sleeve and adjacent partsto be engaged by a nut m, threaded to the axle projection ct". It willnow be readily seen that when the nut m is screwed onto the projectionct and after contacting with the adjacent colletj it forces said collettightly between the axle and collar Z and draws the parts together, soas to crowd the other collet into the tapered end of the sleeve b, bothcollets expanding or contracting when necessary to whatever extent isrequired in order to fit contiguous internal and external surfaces. Theforce exerted in seating the parts is great enough to expand the sleeve17 sufliciently to hold the cones c in place without the lock-nutsrequired in other forms of construction. The outer end of the sleeve 1)is expanded in this manner, as well as the opposite end, even though thecompensating collar Z is used, because the thinner portion of saidcollar is within the circumference of the adjacent cone 0 and does notoffer enough resistance to prevent the entering collet from expandingboth collar and sleeve. The expansion necessary to lock the cones to thesleeve is very slight, and the expansive force exerted by the collets asthey are caused to approach each other is considerablesufficient, infact, to accomplish the desired result. The force exerted by the colletsis also adequate for the purpose of binding the parts firmly andsecurely together and forming a solid and rigid connection between huband axle. The collets in their frictional contact with contiguoussurfaces grip the axle firmly and tightly hold the sleeve thereto, andabout this foundation the ball-hearing is built up.

In place of the collar Z a reinforcing or compensating internal flange Zmay be used, as shown in Fig. 5. The flange Z is tapered like the collarl and serves the same purpose. Either the collar Z or the flanged part Iof the sleeve 5 may be slotted, as shown at l, if found necessary, inorder to insure enough expansion of the parts to lock the cones inplace; but ordinarily it will not be necessary to split or slot suchmembers for this or any purpose.

Although a rubber-ti red-wheel hub has been illustrated, it will beunderstood that my invention maybe used withanyball-bearinghub.

Minor changes in construction other than those hereinbefore pointed outmay be made without departing from the nature of my in vention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The combination, in an interchangeable hub, with an axle having anenlargement a, of a sleeve encircling said axle and interiorly taperedaround said enlargement, the inner end of the sleeve abutting a shoulderon the axle, a tapered and two-way slotted collet interposed between theenlargement and the tapered portion of said sleeve, a ball-cone mounted011 the sleeve around that portion of the same which is around saidcollet, and balls on said cone, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in an interchangeable hub, of an axle, a sleeveencircling said axle, an interior internally-tapered compensating partat one end of said sleeve, a tapered and two-way slotted colletinterposed between said part and the axle, a ball-cone mounted on thesleeve around that portion of the same which surrounds the compensatingpart, and balls on said cone, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in an interchangeable hub, with an axle, of asleeve, a ball-cone and balls mounted thereon, a tapered and twowaylongitudinally-slotted collet interposed between said axle and portionsof said sleeve which are surrounded by said ball-cone, and means toforce said collet into such operative engagement with adjacent membersthat the ball-cone is locked in place, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in an interchangeable hub, with an axle having anenlargement ct and a screw-threaded projection, of a sleevesubstantially uniform throughout except being internally tapered at oneend around said enlargement, ball-cones and balls mounted on oppositeterminals of said. sleeve, a tapered and two-way slotted resilientcollet interposed between said enlargement and tapered end of thesleeve, an interior internally-tapered compensating part or member atthe other end of the sleeve, a second collet similar to the firstinterposed between said part or member and the axle, the thin ends ofthe collets being directed toward each other, and a nut threaded to theaxle projection, adapted to bear against one of the collets and forceboth into operative engagement with adjacent parts, said ball-conesbeing locked in position by the action of said collets on the sleeve,substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN O. DAVIS.

WVitnesses:

J. H. S. PARKE, WM. COURTEMANCHE.

